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Building and Improving Project Team Functionality

All projects require effective teamwork to achieve quality outcomes. Learn how to get the team up and running quickly and efficiently, manage accountability without direct line authority and help team members manage competing priorities. Understand when you should confront group issues that are jeopardizing team success.

Who Should Attend

Professionals who want to learn how to promote the effectiveness of their project teams, and help their teams become more accountable for achieving results.

Benefits and Learning Outcomes

Know why most teams are dysfunctional

Understand what changes must be made to allow the team to become functional and accountable

Assist the team in identifying and working through their real issues

Assist the team in taking accountability for results

Course Outline/Topics

Seminar Outline

What Is Required for a Team to Operate
Creating a team charter
Defining measures of success
Defining roles and responsibilities
Agreeing on team processes
Creating a shared fate
Address real issues

How to Set the Team up to be Accountable
Defining success, measures and validating impact
Creating an accountability board
Defining what we are willing to give up to achieve success

Dependencies on the Project Manager
Understanding the messiah syndrome
How to avoid dependence
How to avoid the group turning on the project manager

Behaviors that Destroy Team Functionality and How to Eliminate Them
Ignoring real issues
Pairing
Taking real issues to the leader

How to Effectively Confront Real Issues
Avoiding group think or trips to Abilene
No fault formula for confrontation
Addressing dysfunctional behavior

Team Problem Solving
Team member roles in the problem-solving process
How to leverage team member strengths
Authority Versus Influence
Understanding the difference
How to have influence without authority

Team Member Role Definitions and Keys to Success
Facilitator • Project manager
Team leader
Team member

Understanding and Addressing Style Differences
Understanding the differences in how people absorb information
Understanding the differences in how people make decisions
How different people engage with the team
How to address and bridge these differences

Conflict Resolution
Diagnosing the situation
Achieving commitment
Addressing real issues between team members

This class was a perfect choice! It was very pertinent to my job. I now have clarity and validation regarding what I’m doing right as well as what needs to be done differently.

— Kelly Kovnesky, Mukwonago Area School District

Eric’s delivery of, and passion for, the content of this class is exemplary.